Dance But Never Forget
by Lexi Teniro
Summary: AU. Aoshi is the troubled loner, Misao the gorgeous popular girl. To what lengths will he go to win her heart, and what about his past will be revealed in the process? Not as cliche as it may sound! [Even THAT sounded cliche...[sigh] ] 3 OUT OF 3
1. The Dancers

**Dance But Never Forget**

**Chapter 1: The Dancers**

Disclaimer: Do I LOOK like I own Rurouni Kenshin?! I think not! And if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't be just sitting here writing fics!

Lexi: Hello dear readers!!!!

Sano: ::Pokes:: Did you have sugar or something?

Lexi: ::Looks around room:: Of course not!

Sano: Suuuure, just like I haven't had saké in a month.

Lexi: Well anyway. We've all wondered what lengths to which Aoshi would go to get Misao to fall in love with him. Now we will know…

Sano: This should be good…

Lexi: Oh yes. Some of the characters might be slightly OOC and I tweaked some of the ages…Aoshi's younger and Kaoru's older but all the others are the same as of yet. Also, this starts out fairly light but it WILL get more dramatic, believe me.

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AOSHI:

_'Damn this is embarrassing!' _Aoshi thought. How many high school guys in their right mind would be trying on ballet duds? Love _had_ made him insane. Ah, Misao. How he longed for her. But how could _he_, the mysterious loner who never smiled, get her attention? Misao was the popular, gorgeous junior who half the guys in the school were head over heels for. She could have any guy she wanted. Yet she was still single. And then he came up with his plan. The one true love of Misao was dance—ballet to be specific. Therefore, the way to her heart must be through ballet.

Aoshi quickly ducked back into the changing room. _'Damn again! I hope she didn't see me!'_

"Aoshi!"

_'She knows my name…damn it all she saw me!'_

"I didn't know you did ballet! That's so cool!" She smiled brightly at him, a smile that almost made him smile. He quickly repressed it. He could never smile.

"I'm just starting."

"Oh cool, where do you go?"

"Erm…that place three blocks down from the high school."

"Hey, me too! Maybe we'll be in the same class."

_'I know we are. But I can't tell her that, she'll think I'm some kind of freaky stalker!' _"Er, yeah…"

"Well, um, see ya around!" Misao paid for her toe shoes and left the store. Aoshi sighed.

_'There goes perfection.'_ He thought. _'I wonder if she remembers…'_

--FLASHBACK--

"Hey Shinomori, where're those twin toothpicks ya always carry?"

"Gonna hit me with the toothpicks, Shinomori?"

The laughter of his taunters echoed in his ears. How hard he trained with his kodachis, carrying on the Shinomori tradition centuries old. He was the only one left, and they dared to call his swords "toothpicks".

"Hey, leave him alone you guys! Aoshi works hard to be good with those. Bug off Saitō." Misao glared at the other 6th graders, who retreated, not without a few mimicking glares directed at Aoshi.

"We'll be back Shinomori!"

Misao looked at Aoshi, who responded with his usual stony expression. "I don't need you to make them leave. I am Shinomori Aoshi, descendent of the great family of Shinomori, and I fight my own fights."

Tears began to form in Misao's eyes, and she ran away trying hard not to sob. This was what always happened to Aoshi. Someone would try to stand up for poor defenseless him. Well he would show them. Next time he would be ready.

And he was. He had a hard time explaining to the principal how 5-inch-long bloody slits found their way onto the arms and torsos of Saitō and friends.

--END FLASHBACK--

He sighed. She had stood up for him. And he had beaten Saitō's ass. Ah, good times. The candle in the dark. But he had made her cry; he had seen it. The candle flickered. Things had only gotten worse, and Misao had forgotten him.

MISAO:

She felt the familiar light feeling she always had after talking to him. She could almost fly as she walked home with her toe shoes. But noone could ever know how she felt. Misao the popular with a crush on Aoshi the loner? A loner that never smiled. She could never explain that to her friends.

And yet, she still liked him. A lot. She was so happy that he was taking ballet. Most guys thought it was girly, so she commended him for doing it. And she would have an excuse to see him for an hour and a half twice a week. This was turning into almost too much of a good thing. Was Aoshi…no. He didn't have any emotion. How could he ever love?

She fished around in her purse for the key to her house. Locating it, she opened the door and yelled.

"Mom, I'm home!"

"Why should I care, you lazy brat?"

"Shut up Kaoru."

Kaoru came smiling into the room. "Mom's out. Hey little sis."

"You're back from college? Why?"

"Break. Law school can be total hell."

"I'm not bothering with law school, I'm going to be a dancer."

"That's a million to one shot, but I think you can do it."

Misao was touched. "Thanks Kaoru. I think that's the first time you've been nice to me in years."

Kaoru glared. "Don't push it. One of my friends at college introduced me to this great thing called a bokkan…"

Our lovesick heroine departed to her room with a smile. Why shouldn't she be happy? She had dance tonight. And dance now meant Aoshi. She began to change into her leotard and tights, smiling like there was no tomorrow.

AOSHI:

_'This is stupid. I can't believe I'm wearing tight pants. I'd be laughingstock if anyone ever found out. The things I do for love.'_

Aoshi threw on black pants and a trench coat over his ridiculous ballet get-up. At least he could look respectable going there.

He walked to the ballet school, feeling for all the world like he was going undercover. He felt naked without his kodachis.

Once he slipped through the door, he was surprised at what he saw. It was a large, airy room, all the walls covered with mirrors. There were two doors on one side of the room; one marked "Girls", the other "Boys". He slipped through the appropriate door and had to work very hard to keep an emotionless face.

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Lexi: Hee hee hee, what does Aoshi see?

Sano: Do we want to know?

Lexi: You already know.

Sano: Well duh you told me.

Lexi: Do not worry, this cliffy will not be for long, I will update within three days! If not, well, I'm dead. So sue me. Oh, I didn't mean that. I love you all. Especially when you review.


	2. The Stage is Set

**Dance But Never Forget**

**Chapter 2: The Stage Is Set**

Disclaimer: ::Rolls eyes:: Can't you lazy bastards just read the first chapter? Fine! Be that way! I don't own Rurouni Kenshin!

Lexi: YAY I actually kept my promise to update! It's a miracle!! ::Mutters:: Well it counts anyway, the stupid site was down when I was ready to and then my computer died…XP

Sano: Can we have some saké to celebrate?

Lexi: Sur---no.

Sano: Aaaw…

Lexi: Ah well. Oh, yes, I left you all a nice little cliffy (sort of) didn't I? Well let's continue then…first though, another note. Megumi's younger too; I made her Misao's age. So sue me (again)(if you haven't already).

From Last Chapter:

Once he slipped through the door, he was surprised at what he saw. It was a large, airy room, all the walls covered with mirrors. There were two doors on one side of the room; one marked "Girls", the other "Boys". He slipped through the appropriate door and had to work very hard to keep an emotionless face.

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AOSHI:

"Sanosuke?!" The familiar head whipped around.

"You tell noone." He hissed at Aoshi.

"As long as you don't either." Aoshi replied.

"Agreed," Sano said, suddenly congenial. "So, you doing it for a girl too?"

Aoshi was surprised, to say the least.

"I started to try to get together with Megumi, and, well, I got stuck. It's kinda fun once you get used to the whole tight pants thing."

The two of them prepared and entered the room. The girls, about six of them, were already stretching at the _barre_. Megumi came over, eyes shining.

"Sano-san! There you are! Who's this?"

Aoshi only glared. Megumi felt herself uneasy, despite her bubbly personality. Aoshi had his attention re-directed to a certain 16-year-old on the other side of the room. He had to exert all of his self control not to stare at her in a leotard and tights, showing off her well-toned muscle…no! No thoughts like that! Especially not in tight pants…

The teacher entered the room. "Hello class. Today we have a new student, Shinomori Aoshi."

Misao beaming at him almost made it all worthwhile.

At the end of class, Sanosuke was looking at Aoshi with new respect, as was most of the class.

"Aoshi, stay for a minute. I want to talk to you." The teacher said. He nervously stepped away from the door to the changing room. Sano winked at him but left him with the teacher.

"Have you ever had any dance before?"

"No, this is my first class."

The teacher's eyes registered shock and Aoshi could tell that she was impressed.

"Our yearly performance is coming up, and there's a duet of sorts. We need a talented male dancer, and Sanosuke is, well, not quite up to the task."

Emotionlessly, Aoshi replied, "Who is the other dancer?"

"Makimachi Misao, one of the most promising young dancers I've seen in years."

Aoshi's heart did a little flip, but he did not reveal this in his face. Years of pain had birthed this expression, for pain came when you showed what you felt…

--FLASHBACK--

"Stop crying, ya wimp, it's just a bruise."

"But daddy, it hurts!"

"Shut up and fight. But that's even a waste of time. You'll never amount to anything, Aoshi."

The tears came faster now, out of little 8-year-old Aoshi's eyes. "Yes…I…will."

His father hiccupped and dumped some more saké down his throat. "No you won't. You're a worthless little bastard and you'll meet the same end as your mother."

Aoshi could hardly see through the tears. "I will _not_ be strangled and left to die in an alley. I'll be the best fighter the Shinomoris have ever seen!"

He held up his arms in a feeble attempt to protect himself from his father's blow. The face of the drunkard became redder and redder. "YOU…WILL…NOT…TALK…TO…ME…THAT…WAY!" He threw Aoshi across the room, where he lay, broken and sobbing, in the corner.

The next day, when the cops found Mr. Shinomori, they determined cause of death as suicide. Only Aoshi knew the truth.

--END FLASHBACK--

He came back to the present, realizing that the teacher was waiting for an answer. "I may do so. Allow me to think some more on it." He turned and walked into the changing room. Sano was waiting.

"What was it?"

"Dammit, I don't know whether to be joyful or devastated."

"Why would you be happy?"

"I might get to dance a duet with Misao."

"She the one you like?"

"Yeah."

"Great! Cool! And why sad?"

"Apparently I'm good enough at ballet to possibly get to dance a duet in the annual performance."

"Poor Shinomori…"

"Don't call me that." He automatically snapped.

"Poor Aoshi, facing a choice like that. At least I suck at ballet."

"…"

"Let's go get some saké for celebration slash mourning."

"NO."

"What, ya don't drink?"

"No."

"Oh I get it, can't hold your saké."

Aoshi jumped at this easy excuse. "Er, kinda…"

MISAO:

She tuned out the sound of Megumi's endless chattering, choosing instead to think of Aoshi. Who knew that he was such a good dancer? Maybe she wouldn't have to dance that duet with Sano after all. Thank Kami times a million. Sagara Sanosuke was officially the biggest klutz she had ever seen.

"Don't you?" She was snapped out of her reverie by the sudden question.

"Er, don't I what?"

Megumi rolled her eyes. "Have you heard a single word I've said?"

"Er, no, not really."

"Don't you think the new guy is hot? I mean, Sano is my man but if I were still single…phew!"

"Yeah, yeah, he's really hot…"

"He seems familiar though, I could swear that I knew him from somewhere…does he go to our school?"

Misao pretended to frown in concentration. She bit her lower lip, appearing to be thinking hard. "I dunno, I think I've seen him around."

"Well I, for one, will not rest until I find out who he is. Wanna help?"

"Nah, that's ok. I'll leave the mystery of the mysterious loner to you."

Megumi snapped her fingers. "Mysterious loner! That's it!! He's that weird guy at our school with the hidden kodachis. Everyone but the teachers knows he has them. I knew his name was familiar! Aoshi...wasn't he your friend way back, like in first grade?"

"Not really…"

--FLASHBACK--

"Why are you sitting alone?" A concerned little 5-year-old Misao asked the silent boy in the corner.

"'Cause noone likes me."

"I like you. Will you be my friend?"

His face broke into a cute little smile. "I've never had a friend before."

"It's fun! We can do everything together!" She beamed at him, making his smile broader. He remembered something and his face fell.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"My daddy won't let me have friends."

Her young mind couldn't get around that. "Can I be your secret friend then?"

"No. My daddy'll find out and then he'll hurt me worse."

"OK then." She thought no more of it and went off to color with her friend Megumi, leaving little Aoshi alone in the corner, trying hard not to cry.

--END FLASHBACK--

"No. He was never my friend."

"Oh…"

They came to Megumi's house and walked in the open door.

"You wanna sleep over? My little brother's at a friends house so he won't bug us."

"Nah, that's ok. I think I'll go home for once. See ya, Megumi." She cheerfully waved and left to walk home. The autumn leaves blew about her black sweatshirt and the wind played with her hair. She involuntarily shivered and walked more quickly. Arriving at her house, she saw Kaoru waiting on the front step.

"Hey brat."

"Hey baka."

Kaoru hugged her and brought her inside. "I think it's time we had some girl time. We're going to sit down and talk 'till we're blue in the face."

"Can I start?" Misao asked.

"Sure," Kaoru said.

"Are you going out with that guy yet, K-something? The red haired dude."

"Kenshin? Not only that, we're as good as engaged!"

Misao squealed in delight. "Really? Awesome! Kenshin's the coolest!"

"Glad you feel that way. What about you?"

"Well…it's a long story."

"Spill all."

And she did.

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Lexi: Kind of a bad ending, but I like shorter chapters.

Sano: ::Fuming in corner::

Lexi: Oh come on. Lighten up Sano!

Sano: YOU MADE ME DO BALLET. THAT IS UNFORGIVABLE!!!

Lexi: ::Sweat drop:: At least you get Megumi!

Sano: That doesn't matter! ::Returns to fuming::

Lexi: We'll just leave him, shall we? Anywho, review please (as per usual)!!


	3. The Dance

**Dance But Never Forget**

**Chapter 3: The Dance**

Disclaimer: AGAIN?! WILL YOU INSANE FREAKS JUST LET ME WRITE IN PEACE?!?!?! I DON'T OWN RUROUNI KENSHIN, OK?!?! ::Ahem::

Lexi: This must be world news. Me, not giving up on a story after the second chapter!!

Sano: I still haven't forgiven you, you know.

Lexi: Whatever. Have some saké.

Sano: YES! VICTORY IS MINE! ::Grabs saké:: ::Sweet smile:: I wuv you Wexi!

Lexi: ::Rolls eyes:: Oh shut up, will you? Anyway, Kaoru might have some more OOC-ness, but she's older and more mature so that's my excuse. But anywho, shall we continue?

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From Last Chapter:

Kaoru hugged her and brought her inside. "I think it's time we had some girl time. We're going to sit down and talk 'till we're blue in the face."

"Can I start?" Misao asked.

"Sure," Kaoru said.

"Are you going out with that guy yet, K-something? The red haired dude."

"Kenshin? Not only that, we're as good as engaged!"

Misao squealed in delight. "Really? Awesome! Kenshin's the coolest!"

"Glad you feel that way. What about you?"

"Well…it's a long story."

"Spill all."

And she did.

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MISAO:

Misao didn't think that she had ever talked more in her life. She told everything to Kaoru, who for once didn't have any sarcastic comments. She told Kaoru about how she really liked Aoshi but he had no emotion, but if she ever admitted to liking him she'd be shunned by all her friends. She told about his mysterious talent at dance and how it seemed he was pouring his soul into the dance. She told about how she had always tried to help him, but he always pushed her away and wouldn't let her. About how much she wanted to make him smile. Wanted to break through the ice and find the warmth. To all this Kaoru listened silently. When Misao finally stopped, she spoke.

"I know what you need."

"What?"

"A major girls-only getaway. Come on, let's go to the spa. My treat."

Misao smiled. She knew her big sister wasn't completely bad.

AOSHI:

Aoshi entered his small apartment. He lived alone. He had noone. But Misao, oh how he wished…he must banish the thoughts. He had found a new method of dealing with his feelings. The dance. Oh, the dance. He would never tell anyone, but when he danced, it was not he dancing, it was his soul dancing. It was just like when he was fighting with his kodachis. The rush of the moment swept through him and the movement was everything.

_'You'll never amount to anything, Aoshi…'_

His father was dead. He had killed him. He was safe. His foster homes had been tolerable. His face though…his empty expressionless face. It scared them. And then they sent him on. And on again. Never a home.

_'A home…'_

He had never known a home.

--FLASHBACK--

"And this will be your room!" A cheerful, pink and plump woman beamed.

"Will you send me away too?"

She was flustered. "No, of course not, why?"

"They say I'm a hopeless case. That I'll never amount to anything…"

"Oh you poor dear, of course we won't send you away! You'll love it here!"

Two weeks later he was packed and moving again. They had been the same as the others, always thinking they could "fix" him. They were wrong.

--END FLASHBACK--

He flopped down on the couch and turned on the TV, flipping channels halfheartedly. Nothing good was on, and he turned it off again. He wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a mug, filled it with water, and put it in the microwave. He waited for it to heat before popping a green-tea bag in. Sitting down at the table, he sipped his tea while staring into space. Green tea always helped him calm down. He breathed the steam in deeply. Thank god it was a Friday. He couldn't have faced school. Not like this. He had to go for a walk. Pulling on his trench coat, not bothering to change out of the dance clothes underneath his normal clothes, he put the empty mug on the counter and left the apartment.

The dry leaves blew around him in the wind. He turned up the collar of his coat and shoved his hands into his pocket. The wind played with the hem of the coat, fluttering it and flipping it up. Aoshi didn't notice. He was too deep in thought.

_'…never amount to anything…'_

_'…hopeless case…'_

_'…why bother trying to help him? He can't feel…'_

_'…leave him alone, you guys…'_

_'…I fight my own fights…'_

The voices chased around in his head, until he realized that he had ended up in front of the dance studio. He looked around to see if there was anyone in sight, then put long-dormant skills to use and picked the lock. He slipped into the shadowy building and closed the door behind him with a small click. He removed his trench coat and pulled off all of his street clothes, down to the dance attire. Silently he went to the center of the room, and silently he began to dance. It was only he and the moonlight, alone in the room…but then he imagined another shadow. A shadow of his beloved. She spun into his arms, and they entered into a duet, the likes of which this world has never seen.

MISAO:

Back from the spa, she couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed, twisting bedclothes into odd formations. Finally she gave up. She crept out of bed and changed into her dance clothes to do what she always did on nights that she couldn't sleep. The window stuck, but with a little coaxing it came open. She climbed through and dropped silently and gracefully to the ground. Once she was sure that her sister and mother weren't watching, she started down the street. The wind chilled her, but she kept walking, onwards to the dance studio. Surprisingly, the door was unlocked. She snuck in silently and took off her coat. When she turned around, surprised was an understatement. There was Aoshi, dancing to no music but that in his head. She silently slipped into his arms and began the duet of moonlight, only able to be danced by those truly in love to no music at all. Her hair felt damp, and she stopped the dance. Aoshi stood still, and she saw tears, two single drops, clinging to his face. She kissed each tear, one on each eye, then kissed him full on the lips. He was startled at first, then kissed back, pouring his longing and need into the kiss. Eventually she pulled away, and his tears had transferred to her face. Aoshi gazed at the glistening moisture, shining on her beautiful moonlit face. Looking at her face, wet with his tears, smiling at him, made him smile for the first time since he was five. A smile for her. A smile for the dance.

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Lexi: ::Sniff:: So sweet…

Sano: You didn't even MENTION me in that chapter!

Lexi: Of course not, it's an A / M fic, not an S / M, or an S / anything for that matter.

Sano: Still…

Lexi: Have saké and rejoice.

Sano: ::Rejoicing::

Lexi: And so it ends. A little sappy, I know, but that's the point. A little (er, very...) short, too, but I just can't seem to commit myself to a long fic. Ideas are welcome, though! So ja! And, as always, REVIEW!!!


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